PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Walter Mason (ranked 4999 p4p, 4751 weight class) and Hick Diaz (ranked 626 p4p, 601 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Mason
vs
Diaz

185 cm
18
185
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
185
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Mason!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hick Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mason has managed to clinch.
Diaz tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mason just stands there and leans against the ropes.

Mason is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Diaz can't fight it off and eventually Mason manages to take the fight to the floor. Diaz looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Diaz is wriggling around but Mason manages to pass to half guard.
Diaz felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.
Diaz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Diaz wants to stand and escape but Mason is having none of it.
Diaz wants to sweep but no luck.
Mason content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mason distracts Diaz with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Mason controlling him for the moment.

Diaz is looking for a triangle here but Mason uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.
Diaz pushes Mason away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Mason gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Mason trying to control the action but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Mason cracks Diaz with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Diaz is looking for a sweep.
Mason working away.
Mason in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Diaz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mason wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Diaz is still trying to improve position.
Mason working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to bench press Mason off him but Mason keeps the position.
Check out the look on Mason's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Mason working the head with strikes.
Diaz sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Diaz pushes Mason off looking to stand but Mason dives back in and keeps control.

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.
Diaz taking some punishment here, with Mason in his half guard.
Mason frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Diaz wants to control but Mason is having none of it.
Diaz really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to lock up and control but Mason gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Diaz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mason haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Mason working the ground and pound effectively.
Mason prevents Diaz from getting the reversal.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Diaz can do anything to dispel that myth.
Diaz sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Mason working the head and body with strikes.
Diaz is trying to control but Mason manages to pass to mount!
Diaz is squirming around, avoiding Mason's attempts to control the action.
Mason avoids the attempt from Diaz to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying desperately to get to his feet.
Diaz is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Diaz is looking to get to half guard.
Mason fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
A nice elbow there by Mason.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mason prevents Diaz from getting the reversal.
Diaz is bucking up trying to escape but Mason cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Diaz can't escape the position.
Diaz wants to control but Mason is having none of it.
Mason fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to try and get back to his feet.
Diaz tries to lock up and control but Mason gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Diaz keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Mason lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Diaz hang on?
Mason can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Diaz is looking to escape.
Diaz wants to hold on but Mason pushes him away.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to improve his position but Mason isn't that keen on the idea.
Mason with the ground and pound from mount.
Diaz bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Diaz looking to pass the guard.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Mason keeps moving.

Diaz is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Mason is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Mason has escaped and now he's on top!

Diaz working a defensive guard here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Mason trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Diaz is looking for a triangle here but Mason uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Diaz is trying to get back to his feet.
Diaz is trying to improve his position.
Diaz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mason off and has taken his back!
Mason wants to control his opponent's hands but Diaz gets his hands free.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Mason is trying to break free.

Diaz is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Diaz not allowing Mason to control his hands.
Mason is really stuck here.

Diaz looking for the choke but no joy.

Diaz is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Mason knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Mason for a finish.
You can see the frustration on Mason's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Diaz working for the choke.
Mason breaks Diaz's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Diaz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mason passes into half guard.
Mason looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Diaz on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Diaz trying to control from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Walter Mason dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Diaz shoots in for a takedown but Mason shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Mason manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Diaz on his heels. He'll look to pass Diaz's guard now, I'm sure.
Mason is working Diaz over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mason won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
Diaz trying to keep a closed guard but Mason is proving a slippery customer.

Diaz looking for subs off his back but Mason has passed one foot through into half guard.
Diaz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Diaz has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Mason is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Diaz.
Diaz tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason working away.
Diaz manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Diaz wants to advance to full mount but Mason doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Mason is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Mason stops Diaz from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are battling for position here. Diaz manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Diaz has momentary wrist control but Mason slips an elbow through the middle.

Diaz looking for subs off his back but Mason has passed one foot through into half guard.

Mason moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mason trying to control the action but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Mason cracks Diaz with a big right hand but Diaz just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Mason scoring with punches from side control.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard.
Mason landing strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Mason asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Diaz tries to buck Mason off but Mason is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason working away.
Mason cracks Diaz with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Diaz is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.
Mason cracks Diaz with a big elbow.
Mason scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Diaz to see if he's OK.
Mason is looking to take a break and control but Diaz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Diaz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mason working the ground and pound.
Diaz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mason wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Diaz wants to control but Mason postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to buck Mason off but Mason is having none of it.
Diaz can't do much from the bottom here.
Mason landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Diaz is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.
Mason is working Diaz over with some ground and pound from side control.
Diaz is trying to improve his position.
Mason in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Diaz is trying to improve his position.
Mason lands an elbow.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is pushing Mason's head away, looking to escape. Mason manages to hold on to the position though.
Mason lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Diaz down.
Diaz is looking for a sweep.
Diaz is not content to let Mason control the position.
Diaz is trying to control Mason's posture but Mason avoids it.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard.
Mason working away.
Mason is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Diaz can do to turn this around?

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mason trying to control the position but Diaz is working away.
Diaz trying to remain calm as Mason controls from the top position.
Mason working the ground and pound.
Diaz is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Diaz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Diaz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mason off and has taken his back!
Mason rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Diaz is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Mason still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Mason has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Diaz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Walter Mason is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Mason lands strikes from half guard.
Diaz is refusing to be controlled, as Mason sits in half guard.
Mason working Diaz over with strikes.
Diaz gets back to full guard.
Mason has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Diaz has an active guard here but Mason has managed to pass into half guard.
Mason is trying to control the action in half guard but Diaz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Mason drops an elbow to the side of Diaz's head.
Mason scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mason trying to control from half guard but Diaz is working away.
Mason working the head and body with strikes.
Diaz is trying to stand up here but Mason is controlling him well.
Diaz wants to get back to full guard.
Diaz is trying is best to control the position here.
Mason tries to pass to full mount but Diaz defends it.
Mason working over Diaz with some ground and pound. Diaz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Diaz is looking to escape.
Diaz has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mason is working away from the top position though.
Diaz keeping control of the position.
Walter Mason overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Mason drops an elbow to the side of Diaz's head.
Diaz wants to control but Mason passes into side.
Diaz manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Mason is refusing to be controlled, as Diaz sits in half guard.

Diaz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Mason has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mason wants to control but Diaz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hick Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Diaz is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Mason is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Hick Diaz!
Hick Diaz decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.